Print Control Device Nonvolatile Data Synchronization During Idle States

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Solution Overview

Problem

In printing systems, unexpected power interruptions can lead to loss of volatile memory data, causing systems to fail to restore to their original state, which negatively impacts print processing performance and requires re-execution of processes, consuming labor and time.

Innovation Solution

A print control device and method that synchronizes and saves job information and log data from volatile memories to a nonvolatile HDD, ensuring data integrity and minimizing performance deterioration by executing synchronization processes during idle or print stop states, even in the absence of normal power interruptions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If various items of information are automatically stored in nonvolatile memory during print processing, then data integrity is improved, but print processing performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata integrityVSAvoidprint processing performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs data storage in nonvolatile memory during idle periods or after print job completion rather than during active processing. This preliminary action during appropriate time windows ensures data integrity is maintained without interfering with print processing performance during operational periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control device periodically stores volatile memory data to nonvolatile memory based on timing conditions (idle state detection, print job completion). This periodic action ensures data is preserved without continuously impacting processing performance, resolving the contradiction between reliability and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

2Reliability

If data is frequently synchronized to nonvolatile memory, then reliability against power interruption is improved, but processing speed deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability against power interruptionVSAvoidprocessing speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs data synchronization during idle periods or after processing completion rather than during active operations. This preliminary action during appropriate time windows ensures reliability without continuously impacting processing speed during operational periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control device periodically stores volatile memory data to nonvolatile memory based on timing conditions (idle state detection, print job completion). This periodic action ensures data is preserved without continuously impacting processing speed, resolving the contradiction between reliability and speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Reliability

If the system restores from nonvolatile memory after power interruption, then data recovery is improved, but time consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata recoveryVSAvoidtime consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs data storage in nonvolatile memory during idle periods or after print job completion rather than during active processing. This preliminary action during appropriate time windows ensures data integrity is maintained without interfering with print processing performance during operational periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control device periodically stores volatile memory data to nonvolatile memory based on timing conditions (idle state detection, print job completion). This periodic action ensures data is preserved without continuously impacting processing performance, resolving the contradiction between reliability and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP3223138B1Print control device, method and program
Publication Date: 2023.10.18 FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION CORP
  • EP3223138B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3223138B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3223138B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A print control device is provided with a management unit that receives and manages an instruction to execute processing, a processing unit that performs processing based on the instruction that is received, and a storage unit that stores an attribute information indicating an attribution of the instruction stored by the management unit and state information indicating a processing state of the processing unit in a nonvolatile storing unit using resources of the processing unit when processing based on the instruction is not executed.